


to rejoice their hearts

by Siria



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsmooch, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-28
Updated: 2007-12-28
Packaged: 2017-10-03 20:15:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siria/pseuds/Siria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's almost an anti-climax in the end—there's no pitched battle, no swarm of hive ships closing in on Atlantis, no desperate battle fought right at the limit of what their city can stand against.</p>
            </blockquote>





	to rejoice their hearts

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Jenn.

It's almost an anti-climax in the end—there's no pitched battle, no swarm of hive ships closing in on Atlantis, no desperate battle fought right at the limit of what their city can stand against. There's no need for Rodney to dry swallow handfuls of stimulants this time, or to empty his gun into a Wraith's heart; all he has to do is stand there in the 'gate room with Teyla and Sam, stare at the red dot on the computer display that represents the last hive ship in the galaxy, and wait for it to flicker and flare and disappear. It's the most bloodless battle Rodney's ever fought—even counting his last dissertation defence—and he doesn't think he's ever been this tense.

Sam announces it over the intercom once they've got confirmation of the hit, once they know that there'll never be another culling. Her voice is even, layered over happiness, and the smile on her face steady; over the headsets, Rodney can hear cheers breaking out in the mess hall and the infirmary and the city's corridors. It's a tinny echo of the jubilation in the 'gate room, of the way Ronon picks up Sam to swing her around, his head thrown back while he roars out his laughter.

Rodney's pride in what they've achieved is as fierce as the smile on Teyla's face; but the 'gate remains hollow for far too long, silvery metal curved around nothing but air. John and his handful of carefully selected Marines have been gone for far too long, even presuming that they'd met with some resistance on the way back to the 'gate. No one else in the room seems to have realised it yet, the rush of victory in their blood still too strong, but Rodney checks his watch with increasing frequency. It's T plus six minutes, then plus seven, and the bones of his face ache with anticipated misery, his back stiff and straight in an attempt to meet the grief he knows is coming.

Eleven minutes gone, and Rodney has half a mind to go... somewhere, do something, anything but waiting, wants to drag Ronon to the gym and make him hit him with sticks, wants to sit and listen to Teyla tell him soothing lies—and then he hears the sound of the 'gate engaging. Chuck shouts out to anyone who happens to be listening that they have an off-world activation, and that the Colonel's IDC is being transmitted, that they're all accounted for and coming through.

He hadn't even realised he'd been holding his breath, but god, the sudden intake of air makes him feel giddy, light-headed. It burns in his lungs when he leans over the railings and looks at John walk through the 'gate, tilting his head up to meet Rodney's gaze with unerring accuracy.

Rodney grips the railing with both hands, trying to hide how much they're trembling, but he knows he can't hide the fact that the smile on his face mirrors the one on John's, wide and weary and heartfelt. He shouts out something to John—words in the well-worn pattern of their banter, a welcome back, a welcome home—though he doesn't quite know what he's saying, words losing their sense beneath their meaning.

John doesn't answer him; not in words at least, and not at first, though he keeps glancing up at Rodney. He's too busy shaking Lorne's hand, accepting Sam's quick hug and Radek's congratulations, gasping for breath when Ronon gathers him up in a bear hug so strong that Rodney sees the scuffed toes of John's boots leave the ground for a moment.

But then, when the Marines are sent off to Keller to get their cuts and bruises checked over; when Sam and Radek are heading back to the labs to look over the data John's brought back; when the 'gate room is emptying out by inches and degrees as people flock to the impromptu party which has sprung up in the mess hall—then they're almost alone in the middle of the 'gate room, and John takes the stairs two at a time, Rodney rushing to meet him halfway.

John holds him tight, hands splayed against Rodney's back, breath stuttering quick and humid against Rodney's neck. His grip is strong, like this, not the final extinction of the Wraith, is the feat of strength he's been asked to undertake today. "Hey, McKay," he drawls, voice muffled against Rodney's skin.

"Hey," Rodney whispers back, feeling suddenly and unaccountably shy, his fingers curling into the hem of John's t-shirt, letting his eyes drift closed. They're in public, where anyone can see them, where people _are_ staring, and Rodney isn't surprised to find that he doesn't care. "We did it? I, I think we did it."

"We did, we did," John mumbles, "God, you should have seen it Rodney, worked just like you said, it was beautiful, we—" And then he pulls back, cupping Rodney's face in his hands so that he can kiss him hard and deep and joyful. Sharp teeth make Rodney's lower lip sting, and the sly curl of John's tongue makes him moan. John's stubble rasps against his, and there's not an inch of space between them anywhere; they're pressed together so tightly, chest to belly to hip, that Rodney can feel John's heartbeat thrumming in frantic time with his own, and oh, he hadn't realised that John had been scared, too. When they finally break away for air, John rests his forehead against Rodney's, eyes closed and breathing uneven. "We won," he says again, the edges of his voice flickering with wonder.

"Yes," Rodney says, "yeah, John, welcome home," and he holds John tighter to hide the way he's trembling.


End file.
